PALM BEACH, Fla. — The high-spending Los Angeles Dodgers are not ruining baseball, commissioner Rob Manfred said on Thursday.“No,” Manfred said. “I don’t agree with that. The Dodgers are a really well-run, successful organization. Everything that they do and have done is consistent with our rules. They’re trying to give their fans the best possible product. Those are all positives. I recognize, however, and my email certainly reflects it: There are fans in other markets who are concerned about their teams’ ability to compete, and we always have to be concerned when our fans are concerned about something. But pinning it on the Dodgers, not in that camp.”AdvertisementComing off a World Series win, the Dodgers have the sport’s highest payroll at a projected $353 million, per Cot’s Contracts, and with every signing they make, a rich-gets-richer narrative builds. It’s not only fans talking that way, either. Manfred acknowledged that “there are some owners that have concerns.”“This is an issue that we need to be vigilant on,” Manfred said. “We need to pay attention to it, and we need to determine whether there are things that can be done to allay those kinds of concerns and make sure we have a competitive and healthy game going forward.”Baseball is a relatively random sport, with the best teams winning roughly 60 percent of the time in the regular season. The Athletic’s Jayson Stark and Eno Sarris recently dove into the question of parity, both in baseball and as it compares to other sports. The commissioner’s office itself has often touted competitive balance in the sport, but Manfred distinguished between teams’ ultimate ability to compete and player retention.“There are a bunch of different ways to measure competitive balance,” Manfred said. “Repeat champions … our information in that regard is positive. I think it’s a different question to say, ‘Do people perceive that the playing field is balanced and fair and/or do people believe that money dictates who wins?’ Those are separate concerns from who actually wins on the field.“Continuity in terms of players in particular markets is an issue that’s relevant to the marketing game. Obviously, fans get attached to players, and that’s a great thing. We love that. That’s part of fandom, it’s a good part of fandom. We always try to keep the desire for player continuity in our minds when we’re talking about building a system. By the same token, I’m kind of a free market guy — players at some point in their careers, have to have a right to — I mean they have to — have a right to decide where they want to play.”AdvertisementOwners discussed the merits of pushing for a salary cap at the meetings this week, an effort that could produce a lengthy work stoppage. Manfred indicated he does not think a cap is the only sufficient remedy his owners could pursue during collective bargaining in 2026, however.“I am a huge believer in the idea that there are always multiple solutions to a particular set of concerns,” he said.The CBA expires in December 2026, and while negotiations are likely to begin some unknown number of months in advance, the uncertainty around club television rights might incentivize the league to wait longer than it would during other talks.“I’m one that likes to bargain early, but we’re still two years away, even if you’re thinking you want to bargain early,” Manfred said. “We got time on that front. And I think the time is particularly important right now, because we do have things going on in terms of the economics of the game — local media being the principal one — that the longer we wait, the more it evolves, the better decisions we’re going to make.”Steve Cohen, John Fisher join Manfred’s inner circleNew York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Athletics owner John Fisher have been newly added to Manfred’s eight-owner executive council. They join Paul Dolan of the Cleveland Guardians, John Henry of the Boston Red Sox, Greg Johnson of the San Francisco Giants, Ken Kendrick of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arte Moreno of the Los Angeles Angels and Bruce Sherman of the Miami Marlins. Cohen and Fisher replace John Middleton of the Philadelphia Phillies and John Sherman of the Kansas City Royals. … The league also has reached an eight-year deal with a data provider it has long worked with, Sportradar.(Photo of Manfred and Dodgers owner Stan Kasten at the 2024 World Series: Elsa / Getty Images)

Steve Cohen, John Fisher join Manfred’s inner circle“There are a bunch of different ways to measure competitive balance,” Manfred said. “Repeat champions … our information in that regard is positive. I think it’s a different question to say, ‘Do people perceive that the playing field is balanced and fair and/or do people believe that money […]

Steve Cohen, John Fisher join Manfred’s inner circle“There are a bunch of different ways to measure competitive balance,” Manfred said. “Repeat champions … our information in that regard is positive. I think it’s a different question to say, ‘Do people perceive that the playing field is balanced and fair and/or do people believe that money dictates who wins?’ Those are separate concerns from who actually wins on the field.

“I’m one that likes to bargain early, but we’re still two years away, even if you’re thinking you want to bargain early,” Manfred said. “We got time on that front. And I think the time is particularly important right now, because we do have things going on in terms of the economics of the game — local media being the principal one — that the longer we wait, the more it evolves, the better decisions we’re going to make.”

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